Ironing board



June 12, 1923. 51,458,314

' G. ADAMS IRONING BOARD Filed Dec. 1, 1919 citizen of the United States,

reamed time 12, was.

GRIDLEY ADAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IBONING BOARD.

Application filed December 1, 1919. Serial No. 341,662.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRIDLEY ADAMS, a

residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing Boards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this'invention is to pro- 'vide an improved construction of an ironing board and the like with folding legs. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ironing board equipped according to this invention,

' shown in erected position for service. I

Figure 2 is an inverted plan view pf the board with the legs extended as when 1n use.

Figure 3 is a section at the line, 3-3, on Figure 2, being in a vertical plane parallel to one of the extended legs.

Figure 4 is a section at the line, 4- 1, on Figure 2 being in a plane at right angles to the plane of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section at the line, 5-5, on Figure 2, being the plane in WhlCll are located the pivots of the leg-controlling lever and links at extended position of the legs.

. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the parts in folded position.

In the structure shown in the drawings the ironing board or ironing shown at A, and this member is hereinafter referred to as the board. To the under side of the board, A, there is hinged near one end of the board a leg member which is conveniently and desirably formed of two bars, 1, 1, spread apart at their upper ends which are hinged to the under side of the board while the apex of the triangle, the joined ends of the members, 1, 1. constitute the foot of the leg on the floor. This leg is provided with triangular braces consisting of two bars, 4, 4', pivotally connected respectively at one end of each with the bars, 1, 1, and connected together at their opposite ends, from which links, 18 and 19, extend respectively to two legs, 10, 10, hereinafter described which support the opposite end of the board. From points on the bars, 4, 4, intermediate their ends control-links, 6, 6, extend convergingly up and toward the proximate end of the board, meeting and table top member is being secured by the same pivot, 6 to the under side of the board, at a point outward from the hinged upper end of the triangular link member, 1, 1, between whose two said bars, 1, 1, the control links, 6, 6, extend convergingly as stated to reach their pivotal connection with the board. The several parts of this triangular bracing are dimensioned substantially as shown so as to be adapted to fold substantially into one plane up against the under side of the table when the legs, 10, 10, are also folded up against the under side of the table by their mountlugs and connections hereinafter described. And upon consideration of the structure as shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2, it

will be understood that at unfolded position for supporting the board the downward pressure of the board and its load and the pressure of the work done thereon tends to hold the legs extended and slanting outwardly; and that the connections shown check them at a definite limit of outward spread when the legs, 10, 10, are checked at their limit as hereinafter shown. It will also be understood by means of the connections the folding inward and upward toward the under side of the table of the legs at either end will operate to fold the legs at the other end also.

The remaining supports consist of two legs, 10, 10, which are pivoted to the board for swinging in planes oblique to each other so as to become spread apart when they are unfolded away from the board to position for supporting the latter in position for service. The relatively oblique swing of these two legs may be caused by pivoting the legs to the board on pivots which are oppositely oblique to the plane of the board, or oppositely oblique to the length of the legs, or oppositely oblique to the length of the board, or which have all three of these obliquities, namely, to the plane of the board, to the length of the board and the length of the legs. For greatest convenience in accommodating the several parts within the width of the board and obtaining the desired spread of the legs both longitudinally and transversely, it is found desirable to employ all three obliquities, and the structure shown in the drawings is so constructed. The connection of each leg to the board with all three obliquities mentioned is most conveniently effected by cutting the leg oblique to its length at the hinged end for applie Nil is located being oblique to the length ofthe board, as seen in Figure 2.

For causing the two legs, 10, 10, to swing simultaneously and so that the operator seizing either leg may spread both legs to position of service, means is necessarily provided connecting the two legs. Obviously this con nectioncannot be made by a rigid member extending transversely to the leg, because the distance apart of the two legs constantly changes throughout' the swin Igfro'm col -f lapsed. to unfolded zpositio-n.

engaging levern'ien'ibers,12,1-2, which, as illustrated, are plates .fulcrumed on the-under side of the board and having gear seg ments, 12, 12*, which intermesh at one 81(18- of their fulcrums, thel ends opposite said segmentgeared ends being connected by links, 13, 13, with-the l'egs,' 10, 10, respectively,'th,e pivotal connections of the links at both ends being such as to permit them to swing freely in every direction, andthls is easily eifected by 'makingthe links of rods bent at the ends to form eyes which engage correspondingly formed eye bolts mounted on the legs respectively at 15, 15.

The lengths of .the links, 13, and of the I a hinged leg at one end and two legs at the arms of the lever, 12, from their. i'ulcrums to thelink connections, and the posltions of the pivotal connections with the links of the legs respectively, are so located and the parts are so dimensioned that the out-folded position. of the legs,that is, the position of servicefor supporting the board,the two pivots of each link are substantially aligned with the fulcrum of the lever to which the link is connected; and thereby the link and lever'constitute tension connections of the leg to the board, limiting the out-folding or spreading of the leg. By providing a stop,

. 17, to stop-the swinging of each-lever at a tit) point just perceptibly beyond that to which the lever is swung in'spreading'the legs to the limit permitted by the dimensions of connections described, the swinging of thelegs to their-out-folded position, and the attendant swinging of the connections about their respective pivots tending to carry the parts slightly beyond the position of alignment of the link with the lever fulcrum as stated, causes the parts to become locked at the position to which they are thus swung at which the lever reaches the'stop, 17; and thereby the connections described constitute compression braces, preventing the in-folding-of the legs away from their out-spread position of service, until the operator starts uch conn'eotion is, however, provided by means of 1nterthe connected parts back from thatposition by swinging them past the positionof alignment of said pivots; whereupon the i legs may be readily folded back against the board. x

I claim 1. In combination with theboard having ing,,consisting of interengaging lever connect'orsfulcrumed'on the board,,and links connecting them respectively with the two le s'. I jfiln combinationzwith the board having other end of the board pivoted thereto ior swinging each about a single'pivotal axis in a plane oblique to the planelof' swinging of the other'o'f said two legs, means connectingthe two legs for simultaneous swing mg, consisting of inter-engaging lever connectors fu'lcrumed on the board, and links 'a hinged leg at one end and two legs at the 3 connecting them respectively with the. two

legs, the pivots of thelinks'having their pivot planes aligned with the' iulcrums of the levers respectively at the clown-and-outwardly-swung positions of. the legs-respectively; whereby said lever and link connections constitute tension members for limiting the spread of the legs.

In combination with the board having other end of the board pivoted thereto for swinging each about a single pivotalaxis in a plane oblique to the plane of swinging of the other of said two legs, means for connecting the two legs for simultaneous swinging, consisting of inter-engaging lever connectors fulcrumedon the board, and links connecting them respectively with the two legs, the pivots of each link being in a plane containing the axis of the corresponding lever at the down-and-outwardly-swung position of the legs, and stops on the board for the respective levers, limiting their swing just beyond the positions of alignment of said pivots respectively, whereby said links constitute compression braces for preventing the iii-folding of the legs.

4. In a device for the purpose indicated in combination with the board, a leg for one end of the board hinged thereto; a control link hinged to the board at a point longitudinally outward from the leg hinge, a connecting link from the leg to the cor trol link; said links being pivoted to each other at a point situated inward from the leg at boardand links from said last mentioned legs to one of the two first mentioned links pivoted thereto at a point longitudinally inward with respect'to the board from the intersection of said first two links.

5. In the structure defined in claim 4 foregoing, the last mentioned legs being hinged to the board for'folding up inward longitudinally of the board.

6. In the structure defined in claim 4 foregoing, to the board for folding up inward longitudinally of the board, and the link to which the links are connected which extend to said last{ mentioned legs being said connecting 7. In a device for the purpose indicated in combination with the board, a leg for one end of the board hinged thereto; a control link hinged to the board at a point longitudinall outward from the leg hinge, a connecting link from the leg to the control link; said links being pivoted to each other at a point situated inward from the leg at boardsupporting position of said parts; legs for the other end of board hinged thereto, and links from said last mentioned legs to the connecting link pivoted thereto at the 0pposite side of the pivot of said first men- -tioned links to each other from the pivot of %he connecting link to the first mentioned 8. In adevice for the purpose indicated,

the last mentioned legs being hingedin combination with a board, a leg for one end consisting of two bars joined at the foot and diverging upwardly transversely of the board to wide-spread hinge connections to the board; control links, 6, hinged to the board at a point longitudinally outward from said leg hinges and forked to afford two diverging terminals at the other end; links, 4, 4, pivoted to said diverging leg bars respectively at the inner sides of said bars and pivoted intermediate their ends to the divergent terminals respectively of the control links at the inner sides of said respective terminals; legs for the opposite ends of the board, hinged thereto for folding up against the board divergently from each other outside the position of the diverging bars of the first mentioned leg when so folded up, and links, 19, from said second mentioned legs respectively to the convergent end of the links, 4, 4, said links, 19, being pivoted to the inner sides of said second mentioned legs and the inner sides of said links, 4, 4; whereby all of said legs and links may be folded upward against the board with a minimum overlapping.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 25th day of November, 1919.

GRIDLEY ADAMS. 

